The administrator stared at the crease on his sleeve where Shen Hao had grazed him.
The silence in the arena stretched for a breath… two… then three.
He gave a soft nod.
"Well done," he said, just loud enough for those nearby to hear. "As promised… I admit defeat."
The crowd went nuts. Cheers, gasps, applause, and somewhere in the back, someone screamed, "THAT'S MY BOY!" even though they absolutely were not related to Shen Hao in any way.
Shen Hao just stood there, blinking, sweat dripping down his forehead, still half in disbelief.
"Did I actually… win?"
"Yes," Mo Han said calmly in his mind.
"I mean I know I won… but I won?!"
The administrator stepped forward, smiling faintly. "You surprised me," he said, voice as steady as ever. "Very few have ever touched me in battle. You're only at Beginning Realm… Level 7, correct?"
Shen Hao nodded slowly, still trying to catch his breath.
The man nodded. "Impressive. And I…" he paused, as if remembering something minor.
"…am currently at Conqueror Realm. Level 3."
Shen Hao's expression blanked out completely.
"…Huh?"
"That's expected," Mo Han said in a level tone. "He's the administrator of a trade city placed by the Empire. Conqueror Realm is the minimum required."
Shen Hao whispered under his breath, "Minimum? There are job requirements for being terrifying now?"
The administrator let out a short, amused exhale. "Whoever taught you… must be quite the figure. To have developed such technique at your stage."
Shen Hao straightened up slightly, pride flickering in his chest.
"Did you hear that, Master?" he thought.
"Yes," Mo Han replied. "And I accept the compliment."
Lingfeng chimed in. "Finally, someone who recognizes your greatness. Took long enough."
The administrator turned, hands clasped behind his back. "Well, it was nice meeting you, Shen Hao. I have duties to return to."
Then, without another word, he lifted one hand. A quiet ripple tore through the space beside him, and a wide spatial rift opened like a curtain being drawn.
The guards behind him followed silently.
He gave one final nod… and stepped through.
The rift sealed itself with a soft crackle, vanishing entirely.
Shen Hao stood alone in the arena, wind brushing through his hair, the crowd still murmuring and pointing at him.
"…I think I'm starting to like this city."
Shen Hao finally left the arena grounds, floating down from one of the open stone ramps and landing on the wide, glowing pathway that connected the inner districts.
The crowd behind him slowly faded as everyone returned to their business, but he still felt like a few people were sneaking glances at him.
Some pointed.
Some whispered.
One kid asked, "Is that the guy who slapped the administrator's robe?"
Shen Hao sighed.
"Master, I survived," he said mentally. "Barely. But I survived."
"You didn't just survive," Mo Han replied. "You showed creativity. That fight revealed your instincts are growing sharper."
"You think I looked cool?"
"You looked like you were running from debt collectors for half the match."
"…Fair."
As he walked down the shimmering pathway, Lingfeng floated beside him, spinning lazily in the air.
"Whew," Lingfeng said. "For a second there, I thought you were gonna invent a new martial art: Desperate Retreat Style."
"Not helping."
"So… now what?" Shen Hao asked, stretching his arms.
"Now," Mo Han said, "we wait."
Shen Hao tilted his head. "Wait for what?"
"The administrator mentioned arranging a proper UID for you. But realistically, even with his authority… it may take two to three months."
"Two to three MONTHS?!"
A passing cultivator flinched at his volume.
Shen Hao lowered his voice. "Master, that's—wait, seriously?! What am I supposed to do for that long?"
"Train."
Mo Han's voice grew more serious.
"The Qi concentration here is much higher than on Earth. This is an opportunity. Use this time to cultivate. Especially the second form of the Crimson Core Detonation."
"The piercing one?"
"Yes. Currently, it drains your Qi completely. You need to strengthen your body and foundation if you want to use it freely."
Shen Hao nodded slowly. "Alright. So I just find a cultivation zone and train for a bit. That sounds doable."
"There should be a cultivation chamber in the city," Mo Han added. "Every trade city has at least one — usually in the inner district. The Qi there will be even more concentrated."
"Perfect," Shen Hao said. "Let's head there then!"
"Wait."
Shen Hao stopped mid-step. "…Now what?"
"You've never cultivated in such a high-density Qi environment before. If you absorb too much at once, your body might reject it. You need stabilizing pills — something basic to help your core adjust."
"Oh. Alright." Shen Hao nodded. "Pills. Got it. No problem."
He took one step forward—then paused.
Slowly, painfully, his smile faded.
"…Wait."
"Yes?" Mo Han said.
"…I don't have any money."
Lingfeng nearly dropped out of the air laughing.
"I was wondering when you'd remember that."
Shen Hao stared ahead blankly, like the universe had just betrayed him.
"…I came to a galactic city without a single coin."
"That is correct," Mo Han said.
"…So what now?" Shen Hao asked slowly.
"You work."
Shen Hao blinked. "I WHAT?"
"You heard me. You want Qi pills, you want food, maybe a better robe? You earn it. No more freebies."
Shen Hao groaned and grabbed his forehead.
"I knew I should've charged the administrator for that hit…"
"Well, since you're finally thinking responsibly," Mo Han added calmly, "perhaps it's time I tell you... a few interesting things."
Shen Hao stopped walking.
"…What kind of interesting things?"
Mo Han didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he said, > "Look in front of you."
Shen Hao blinked and raised his head. Right in front of him, stuck awkwardly to the side of a glowing pillar near the street corner, was a bright red poster with a strange swirling emblem and thick alien text.
"Oh yeah, I totally noticed that," Shen Hao said. "Definitely wasn't about to walk right past it."
"It's a recruitment poster," Mo Han said. "For monster hunters."
"…Huh?"
Shen Hao stepped closer to the poster. The letters didn't mean anything to him—just loops and slashes that might as well have been tea stains—but Mo Han's voice translated easily in his mind.
"They're looking for cultivators to join monster suppression squads," Mo Han continued. "Wild beasts and creatures roam the lands outside the city. Most keep their distance because of the pressure Void Gate emits—too many powerful cultivators inside."
"But that doesn't mean they stay away forever."
Shen Hao frowned. "Why would monsters come here knowing how many powerful people are in the city?"
"Because monsters don't think like people," Mo Han explained. "They act on aura instinct. When enough gather in one place, their combined presence can become overwhelming. If they sense more power in their pack than what the city gives off… they'll try to take the city."
Shen Hao slowly turned to look at the open walls in the distance. It was hard to imagine this place under siege… but the thought gave him a chill.
"If that day comes," Mo Han said quietly, "Void Gate will fall into calamity."
"…So this recruitment thing is to prevent that?"
"Exactly. Hunters are sent out regularly to thin their numbers. Every kill matters. It keeps the balance. It protects the city."
"And more importantly for you," he added with dry humor, "they pay well."
Shen Hao's eyes lit up. "Oh?"
"You're rewarded based on how many monsters you kill, what kind they are, and what rank they hold. Their bodies are used to craft pills, weapons, armor, spiritual tools... It's a cycle."
Lingfeng floated into view, humming. "Let me guess — blood, guts, screaming, near-death experiences… sounds perfect for your first job!"
Shen Hao reached up and tore the poster off the wall.
"Well," he muttered, "it's either this or starving."
"This isn't just about food," Mo Han said. "This will be good training. You'll gain combat experience against unpredictable enemies, learn to manage your energy under pressure, and understand the value of strategy in survival."
"I thought we were broke, not dramatic," Shen Hao muttered, folding the poster carefully and tucking it into his robe.
"Now," Mo Han said, "hold that steady. I'll read the address. You just walk where I tell you."
"…So I'm the legs and you're the GPS?"
"Correct."
Shen Hao exhaled, shook out his arms, and stepped forward.
A new job. A new challenge. Monsters, money, and probably a lot of running.
"…Let's hope they don't pay in spiritual coupons."
And with that, he walked into the streets of Void Gate — poster in hand, sarcasm in spirit, and destiny probably watching from somewhere with popcorn.